Curriculum and Instruction

The LARC Program

Although many feel the term "gifted" is not the most suitable word to use in relation to children with exceptional abilities, the best of experts have not been able to yet find a replacement for it. Until then, the term "gifted" will be used in our district in the following way:

Gifted children are those children, in whom intellectual ability, abstract thinking, and task commitment appear to interact to a high degree, making possible a favorable prediction as to future achievement in the range of excellence. Such children appear to possess the potential for unique productivity and seem in need of special services in order to enhance the opportunities for such behaviors to emerge.

The Long Beach Public Schools offer services for gifted and talented students in grades three through five. Known as LARC (Learning Activities to Raise Creativity), this program immerses these children for one full day a week in an environment that emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and group process. Classes are divided by grade and students spend their day working in East School with a teacher specifically trained in gifted and talented education. Over the course of the year, the children will study thematic units that the teachers create on an annual basis.

All LARC participants are personally responsible for meeting the requirements of their regular classes as well as the additional class. Students who qualify for LARC become eligible on the basis of a screening process conducted with all second graders.

The procedures employed for screening and acceptance are as follows: During the spring of each school year, all second graders participate in standardized group tests.

• Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test
• Otis Lennon School Ability Test – Verbal
• Otis Lennon School Ability Test – Nonverbal

A list of FAQ regarding the LARC program, including criteria, may be found on the left hand side of this page.